Woman guilty in 2 highway deaths after stopping for ducks

[avishal26]

Wow - surprising - but I see both sides of this argument.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...ucks-1.2682200

Emma Czornobaj guilty in 2 highway deaths after stopping for ducks

A woman who stopped to help a group of ducklings on the side of the road in 2010 has been found guilty of causing the deaths of a motorcyclist and his passenger daughter who slammed into her parked car on a Montreal-area highway.

Emma Czornobaj was convicted Friday on two counts of criminal negligence causing death and two counts of dangerous driving causing death.

Czornobaj, 25, was charged after Andre Roy, 50, and his daughter, Jessie, 16, were killed.

Roy's motorcycle slammed into Czornobaj's car, which was stopped in the left lane of a provincial highway in Candiac, south of Montreal.

His daughter was riding on the back of the motorcycle when the collision happened on June 27, 2010.

Quebec motorist accused in two deaths said she was helping ducks
The trial heard that Czornobaj, who had three years of driving experience at the time, had stopped to rescue ducklings on the side of the road.

The professed animal lover told the court that she did not see the ducklings' mother anywhere and planned to capture them and take them home.

Czornobaj's lawyer said the defence will be pushing for no jail time because of the lack of criminal intent.

[revelations]

That is one of the stupidest things I read today, and its not even noon.

Every time I see a vehicle stopped on a highway - even on the shoulder - I shudder as its only a matter of time before someone will run into you. ...the RCMP has this happen all the time to them and they have bright lights.

People are on their phones most of the time now driving and to add to this, most people have a "follow the vehicle in front" mentality and dont pay attention to whats happening far up ahead (this why stop-and-go driving exists).

To stop in the middle of the fast lane (unless the road is blocked) is pure idiocy.

[JRSC00LUDE]

I don't see both sides. Woman was a fucking idiot and her stupidity killed people. Fuck her.

[beyond_ban]

I almost rear ended someone doing the same thing on Crowhild a few weeks back. The last thing you expect is someone to go from 90-0km/h on a main thoroughfare.

[A790]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
I don't see both sides. Woman was a fucking idiot and her stupidity killed people. Fuck her.

Bingo.

What the fuck was her intention when she got the ducklings home, anyway?

[sputnik]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
I don't see both sides. Woman was a fucking idiot and her stupidity killed people. Fuck her.

Dumbest. Woman. Ever.

[BerserkerCatSplat]

Her intentions were pure, but her head was purely empty.

[lilmira]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
Her intentions were pure, but her head was purely empty.

Some people just think that they can do no wrong with good intentions. The consequence sometimes is no better than some one doing the same thing with bad intentions.

This is still a very interesting case setting up precedence, had she at least put on the hazards it would probably change the outcome, just one push of a tiny button that takes less than a second.

[nickyh]

I've always been told it you can't avoid an animal your only real option is to hit it, it's not worth risking your life or the life of others to avoid hitting it.
Of course, sometimes if the animal is large (like a Moose) then you are still risking your life by going through it (yes, I know, it's been debated for).

I ran over a possum once - it was on a highway in BC and I could not change lanes. Came back to Calgary and serviced the car a few days later, asked the guys if there was any fur or blood under my car to rinse it out.

[shakalaka]

Why the hell would she stop in the left (fast) lane out of all the places?

[n1zm0]

Originally posted by shakalaka
Why the hell would she stop in the left (fast) lane out of all the places?

Because of the duckies!

fking ridiculous though.

[BlueHaloGirl]

I love animals but this was just stupid on her part. I wouldn't even stop on the shoulder in the right lane it's just way to dangerous the way some people drive now a days.
Too many people just don't pay attention.

[botox]

Pulling over on the shoulder is one thing, but to stop in the left lane is just idiotic. It's like people who stop for j-walkers. But to be the devils advocate, I'll admit that I was driving on the highway just the other week when a family of ducks popped up on the side of the road and my first instincts were to hit the brakes and I probably slowed down to 80. There were no cars behind me so I most likely would of stopped if they attempted to cross but they didn't.

[avishal26]

Originally posted by BerserkerCatSplat
Her intentions were pure, but her head was purely empty.

lol

Originally posted by lilmira

.....
This is still a very interesting case setting up precedence, had she at least put on the hazards it would probably change the outcome, just one push of a tiny button that takes less than a second.

Where does it say she didn't have her hazards on? If she was truly stopped in the fast lane with no hazards.. then thats just stupid.

What does it mean to be caught guilty of causing death? Is that a criminal charge similar to manslaughter/murder? I dont actually know what happens when someone gets into an accident (at-fault) and someone ends up dying as a result.... criminal charge with jail sentence?

[Mitsu3000gt]

Was there no shoulder or is the story unclear? If she indeed stopped directly in the lane, that is ridiculous.

If she was on the shoulder with hazards on, well that is pretty easy to avoid under normal circumstances.

[Moonracer]

Originally posted by nickyh
I've always been told it you can't avoid an animal your only real option is to hit it, it's not worth risking your life or the life of others to avoid hitting it.

Yup this is bang on (no pun intended). As much as I would hate to hit a cat or dog or whatever animal, a human life is more valuable than a couple of ducks.

[avishal26]

Originally posted by avishal26


Where does it say she didn't have her hazards on? If she was truly stopped in the fast lane with no hazards.. then thats just stupid.

Found another article that mentions no hazards, but also mentions she was on 'narrow' shoulder.

....
The Crown said in its opening statement that Czornobaj wasn't physically in her car and that the vehicle was stopped, with the engine running and without any emergency lights, in the left lane of Highway 30, south of Montreal.

Prosecutor Annie-Claude Chasse said witness and police testimony will show the accused was on a narrow shoulder patch next to the passing lane, tending to a family of ducks on the roadway
.....

She {Pauline Volikakis} testified that Roy gestured to the accused as if to warn her it was dangerous for her to be there. Seconds later, his bike slammed into the stationary car, sending both of the occupants in the motorcycle flying.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montre...ucks-1.2663840

[avishal26]

^Based on the second news article, she was supposedly on a narrow shoulder, and the motorcycle rider saw her and the vehicle (as evidenced by his supposed gesturing to the woman warning her this was dangerous).

So I fail to understand how the rider could not avoid the car he knew was there??

[clem24]

Originally posted by JRSC00LUDE
Fuck her.

Would smash for sure..

Originally posted by sputnik
Dumbest. Woman. Ever.

What's weird is that she graduated from Concordia, made the Dean's List, and is a financial analyst. Goes to show that even the brightest women.. Can't drive LOL.

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Was there no shoulder or is the story unclear? If she indeed stopped directly in the lane, that is ridiculous.

Yup stupidest location to stop her car.



I've followed the story from start to finish. I totally did not expect the criminal negligence causing death charge to stick; I expected the lesser charges.

But in a court of law, you need to separate character from stupidity - replace good looking, smart young girl with old, angry pedophile road rager and I guess you'll know they came to the right verdict.

BUT... What's interesting is that the widow/mom of the victims didn't even push for trial or sentence and doesn't blame the driver. I think her character, lack of criminal record, and fact that the wife/mom forgives her will allow leniency in her sentencing.

[BavarianBeast]

ducks belong on a dinner plate

i hate people who think they are doing the world a favor when they raise a couple ducks because their mom died.